Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab, who is leading an official delegation to Duabi and Turkey to study new models of Urbanisation, Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and Solid Waste Management Systems today, concluded his two day visit to Dubai with extensive study of different models of Urbanisation and Tourism Promotion. According to an official spokesman, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister during two day visit to Dubai had extensive discussions with the two major urban developers in Dubai, EMAAR and Nakeel. Mr. Badal was quiet impressed with the new urban development by Emaar around Burj Khalifa on 500 acres. The team also had an in depth study of the new urban parameters and building controls which help in vertical development. The Team also studied the model of mixed multiple use of the buildings as commercial, hotel, residential. Mr. Badal was impressed by the layout of the modern day apartments. Mr. Badal also visited the new Media City, IT City, Academic City so that the team could replicate these concepts in Edu City, Film City being planned in New Chandigarh and IT City at Mohali near Airport.
The delegation had a day long meetings and visits with Nakeel, the company of Palm Jumeruah fame, where land has been reclaimed to build a water front city. This company is further working on reclaiming land in the Gulf to develop world islands. The visit of team to NAKEEL was to get an on hand experience for Tourist City being planned at Mattewara (Ludhiana) that would include Jungle Safari and Adventure Sports Hub. Mr. Badal said that the visit was significant as various development agencies in Punjab were planning projects on these lines. He said that GLADA was already planning a 2000 acre Water Front City in Ludhiana. Mr. Badal said that a world class Tourist City near Ludhiana on more than 6000 acre was already on anvil. He said that Down Town Cities in 60 acres in Mohali and 70 acres in Ludhiana are also being planned. He said that two exhibition centres one at Amritsar n other one at Mohali are in planning stage. Mr. Badal said that PUDA was planning group housing projects in Jalandhar Bathinda Amritsar and Patiala to meet the future needs of housing and this visit has helped the officials in understanding the new techniques being adopted worldwide and learn from the experiences of these developers. The delegation also visited the exhibition centers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The Deputy Chief Minister also had a ride on mono rail project and studied the suitability of the Mono Rail Project to meet the transport needs of big cities like Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar. It may be added that the official delegation led by Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister including Mr. P.S. Aujla, Secretary PWD and Principal Secretary to Deputy CM, Mr. A. Venu Prashad, Secretary Housing, Mr. Ashok Gupta, Secretary Local Bodies, Mr. Anurag Aggarwal, MD PIDB, Mr. Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Chief Administrator PUDA, Mr. Ajoy Kumar Sinha, Chief Administrator GMADA and Mr. Rakesh Verma, Chief Administrator GLADA are on five day long visit to Dubai and Istanbul to study the urbanisation models, Bus Rapid Transit system and the solid waste management systems .